Just 2% of Canadians Deny Climate Change Occurring, Poll Finds

The online poll, commissioned by IPACCO2 Research Inc., a Saskatchewan-based center studying carbon capture and storage, asked respondents where they stood on the issue of climate change.

32% of participants said they believe climate change is occurring as a result of human activity, and 54% said they believe climate change is happening because of a combination of human activity and natural variation. Meanwhile, 9% believe climate change is the result of the natural climate cycle. Far in the minority were respondents (2%) that believed climate change is a hoax.

Conversely, in the United States climate denial represents a much larger chunk of the population, as a recent survey shows. 15% of Americans believe climate change is not occurring.

Much like the United States, Canadians' opinions on climate change vary depending on the region. The Insightrix survey found that residents in the Prairies (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) are least likely to believe humans are changing the climate, while those living in the Maritimes, Quebec, and British Columbia are most likely to hold the belief.

Almost half (44%) of respondents in Quebec believe anthropogenic climate change is happening, while only 21% of participants in Alberta and Saskatchewan hold the same belief.

This regional divide also exists in regard to fossil fuel consumption. 66% of Albertan respondents believe fossil fuels will be used for electricity production in 2050, while only 37% of Quebecers held the same belief. Across the country, 51% of Canadians believe fossil fuels will still be used for electricity in 2050.

Carmen Dybwad, CEO of IPACCO2 Research, said: “Our survey indicates Canadians from coast to coast overwhelmingly believe climate change is real and is occurring, at least in part due to human activity.”

Previous Comments

I having been cruising the blogs for months and it appears to me that public opinion (at least as it manifests itself online) is dominated by the following “convictions”:

– Climate scientists are faking the science to get grant money.

– Climate scientists gave up talking about “global warming” when this was shown to be nonsense, and have accordingly changed to topic to “climate change”.

– If there is global warming, it is caused by sunspots, or the eleven year solar cycle, or a gradually increasing amount of thermal radiation emitted by the sun in recent decades.

– If there is global warming, it is something we can easily adapt to – even benefit from. Imagine orange groves in North Daota!

– Carbon dioxide is essential for life, so the more of it the better.

– The climate is always changing, so any changes that we see now are nothing to be alarmed about.

– It’s all caused by cycles of nature. No need to inquire into their causes; they are spontaneous, autonomous, uncaused things that just happen.oot

The Heartland Institute and other like minded organizations have planted these “ideas” in the public mind where it will be hard to dislodge them. We will be able to root them out only by replacing them with catch phrases that are equally simple and memorable – but true.

For example, we might counter that “Water is essential for life, but it is also possible to drown in it.” Counter arguments at a higher level than that just aren’t sticking.

Democracy is utterly dependent upon an electorate that is accurately informed. In promoting climate change denial (and often denying their responsibility for doing so) industry has done more than endanger the environment. It has undermined democracy.

There is a vast difference between putting forth a point of view, honestly held, and intentionally sowing the seeds of confusion. Free speech does not include the right to deceive. Deception is not a point of view. And the right to disagree does not include a right to intentionally subvert the public awareness.